Grand Slam Ranking and Country of the Year 1969
1969 REPRESENTED THE END OF A DECADE OF HUGE TRANSITION IN THE WORLD AND IN BEAUTY PAGEANTS
The 1960s were tumultuous and divisive, scary and fascinating, marked by civil rights movements, the Vietnam War and antiwar protests, women started wanting more than just getting a good husband and raising a family. In beauty pageants, it was a decade of transition, from the golden 1950s to the revolutionary 1970s. Fashion, hair and make-up styles, all changed dramatically from 1960 to 1969. Miss World and Miss Universe turned into huge television productions, with most of the planet tuned in to watch them! Feminists started questioning the relevance of pageants and protesting against them. Miss International, born in Long Beach, found more success in Japan.
Comparing their results in 1969 to their 1959 rank, some nations got some outstanding results, becoming major powerhouses in pageantry, such as the UK (8th to 2nd, +6); Brazil (12th to 5th, +7); and Argentina (19th to 8th, +11). Sweden, the 1950s leader, was 3rd in 1969. The US had become the world´s number 1 power. South Africa (15th), Colombia (16th), Philippines (18th), and Venezuela (19th), were middle forces. Some of the other major powers of today, still struggled in those days in considerably low positions, like Mexico (46th place in 1969), Puerto Rico (76th), and Indonesia (94th).
The Top 20 in the three Grand Slam Countries by the end of 1969 were:
Miss World Ranking in 1969 (Top 20): 1-UK; 2-France; 3-United States; 4-Sweden; 5-Germany; 6-Denmark; 7-South Africa; 8-Argentina; 9-Finland; 10-Israel; 11-Netherlands; 12-Greece; 13-Austria; 14-Jamaica; 15-Venezuela; 16-Peru; 17-Egypt; 18-India; 19-Australia; 19-New Zealand.
Miss Universe Ranking in 1969 (Top 20): 1-United States; 2-Brazil; 3-Sweden; 4-Finland; 5-Germany; 6-England / UK; 7-Greece; 8-Japan; 9-Israel; 10-Argentina; 11-Peru; 12-France; 13-Colombia; 14-Philippines; 15-Norway; 16-Italy; 17-Thailand; 18-Venezuela; 19-Denmark; 20-Austria.
Miss International Ranking in 1969 (Top 20): 1-United States; 2-Brazil; 3-England / UK; 4-Iceland; 5-Germany; 6-Philippines; 7-Argentina; 8-Netherlands; 9-Israel; 10-Finland; 11-Australia; 11-Colombia; 13-Japan; 14-Sweden; 15-Korea; 16-Austria; 17-Italy; 17-Spain; 19-Switzerland; 20-Venezuela.
AUSTRIA IS THE COUNTRY OF THE YEAR 1969 WITH A "ONE WOMAN SHOW"
! In1969, for the first time Austria was the Country of the Year, all thanks to a beautiful blonde called Eva Rueber-Staier. Eva first participated in Miss Universe and became a Top 15 semi-finalist. Months later, she became Miss World 1969, the first Miss World and Grand Slam winner from Austria.
It was a tough dispute with the Philippines, as Gloria Diaz won Miss Universe, and Margaret Montinola was a Miss International´s Top 15 semi-finalist. The Philippines placed as 2nd most successful country of 1969.
The UK / England came in 3rd, close behind the other two, with a Miss International victory by Miss Britain, Valerie Susan Holmes, and a Top 15 placement in Miss World, with Sheena Drummond.
This is how close it was:
1- Austria (3451 points);
2- Philippines (3426 points);
3- UK / England (3201 points).